This deal will pave the way for the expansion of Minecraft in a big way and enable it to build an identity for itself beyond the game, in the form of a theme park!
Launched in 2011, Minecraft has emerged as one of the most loved gaming titles in recent times. For the longest time, fans wanted the game to have a presence in the real world. As a part of a major global deal, fans will soon get to see open-themed rides, hotel rooms, retail outlets, and other attractions. While these attractions are all set to open up in different parts of the world, one will get to see them first in countries like the US and the UK.
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Minecraft has just signed a deal with Merlin Entertainments, a company that has its headquarters in the UK and is known for being the largest theme park operator in Europe. After Disney, Merlin Entertainments is the largest theme park operator in the world. In 23 countries, Merlin Entertainments has more than 135 attractions. Some of the places where these attractions can be seen are the London Eye, Alton Towers, Madame Tussauds, Legoland and Sea Life.
As a part of the deal, the company will invest a sum exceeding £85m or $110m in the first two properties that will be set up. These attractions will be up and running in the UK and the US in 2026 and 2027. This strategic partnership between the two companies has been named ‘Adventures Made Real’ and will lead to a bunch of properties being set up in different territories and countries.
As a bestselling video game, Minecraft has registered its presence in almost every country across the world. One would, therefore, want these attractions to be set up in every nook and corner of the world. In every part of the world, Minecraft fans would want to explore the global theme parks that would have the essence of Minecraft.
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In an official statement, Kayleen Walters, who serves as the vice-president, of franchise development, for gaming at Minecraft, stated that “We are everywhere digitally”. In 2014, Microsoft had acquired Mojang, the company behind Minecraft, for $2.5 billion. After this acquisition, Microsoft has made several efforts toward strengthening Mojang as a brand and propelling the growth of its properties forward. She further stated that the company always had plans to “expand Minecraft beyond the game”.
In the recent past, one witnessed several efforts by Mojang to expand Minecraft in several ways. The Minecraft film, which was in the making for a while, will be out in April next year. The film, featuring Jason Momoa and Jack Black in principal roles, is being keenly looked forward to by the gaming community and movie buffs alike. A couple of months ago, Netflix made an official announcement about releasing an animated series on Minecraft in the near future.
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